Ironworks and Roadworks FAQs

Generally, you will find the toby cover (or stopcock cover) on or outside your property boundary.

For more information, see our video on how to identify your stop valve and stop cock.

We use manhole covers to gain entry to our network of waste water pipes for routine maintenance and inspections. There are many different types of covers, including concrete, steel and cast iron.

Ownership depends on where it’s located within the waste water network. Any type of cover can be used on both public and private sewers, so you can’t assume a particular cover identifies a public sewer.

Find out more in our Street Furniture & Covers Factsheet in the Document Hub.

All our sites should have signage identifying the works as ours, including our customer helpline on them.

If you identify any issues at our sites, please call our Customer Helpline on 0800 0778 778.

Roadworks and barriers are in place to protect pedestrians, road users and workers and should be observed at all times. As with all works of this nature, the programme of works can change for a variety of reasons, including weather, disruption to local residents or unforeseen technical circumstances. It may be that works have been partially completed and require us to return at a later date to finish the work.

If a cover is damaged, missing or noisy you can contact our Customer Helpline on 0800 0778 778 and a customer service adviser will arrange for a customer representative to investigate.

Your waste water passes from your private drain to the main public sewer. Our vast network of sewers transports the waste water to our waste water treatment works.

Round manhole covers can be found in older residential areas on public sewers, culverts (drains or pipes used to allow water to flow under a road, railroad or similar obstruction) or surface water road drains. These covers belong to Scottish Water, the local Council or are privately owned.

For more information visit our responsibility for sewer pipes page.

Any pipework from inside your property to the property boundary is usually your responsibility. To find out more see our Guide to Drains and Sewers in the Document Hub.

Ownership varies depending on the location of the cover within the waste water network.
 
Any manhole cover on private property is the responsibility of the owner of the property, unless it is on a public sewer having crossed from one property to another. For more detailed information on pipework responsibility please refer to our pages on pipework responsibilities.